Crisis at the CPT Summit: Smith Augustin Opposes Laurent Saint-Cyr's Removal and Withdraws

Days before the end of the Transitional Presidential Council (CPT)'s mandate, a new internal rift emerges. In a letter addressed to his colleagues, councilor-president Smith Augustin rejects the move to remove coordinator Laurent Saint-Cyr. He also announces his withdrawal from any similar decision-making process until February 7, 2026. Port-au-Prince, January 29, 2026 — The political climate within the Transitional Presidential Council continues to deteriorate. In an official correspondence addressed to councilor-presidents Fritz Alphonse Jean, Leslie Voltaire, Edgard Leblanc Fils, and Louis Gérald Gilles, councilor-president Smith Augustin formally expressed his opposition to the attempt to remove the CPT coordinator, Laurent Saint-Cyr. In this letter, Smith Augustin revisits the context that led to the current crisis, recalling that the initial move concerned the dismissal of Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé. An initiative he says he adhered to in good faith, believing that the CPT's presidential prerogatives allowed it and that such a decision could facilitate the institutional transition starting February 7, 2026. However, the councilor-president notes that this decision has deeply divided the Council, exacerbated the political crisis, and caused diplomatic tensions, particularly with the United States, which expressed explicit and unusual support for the head of government. Faced with this situation, Smith Augustin states that two days after the crisis erupted, he attempted to prioritize dialogue by sending a letter to the CPT coordinator, an initiative that went unanswered. He now deplores the option chosen by some of his colleagues to remove Laurent Saint-Cyr in order to appoint a new coordinator responsible for transmitting the resolution concerning the Prime Minister's dismissal to the official gazette. From a legal standpoint, Smith Augustin deems this approach difficult to sustain. He believes that an unpublished resolution cannot legally abrogate a previously duly published resolution, particularly the one setting the duration and distribution of the rotating presidency's coordination. He also highlights the lack of consensus on the legality of the proposed procedure. The councilor-president also warns of the institutional risks of such an escalation. He questions, in particular, the concrete consequences of a potential refusal to transmit to the official gazette, evoking the possibility of successive revocations within the public administration, a dynamic he describes as potentially uncontrollable just days before the end of the CPT's mandate. Believing that this direction is neither responsible nor appropriate in a context of strong institutional fragility, Smith Augustin calls for greater restraint, institutional rigor, and a sense of state. He affirms that the Haitian people expect CPT members to overcome internal divisions rather than exacerbate the crisis. Consequently, he announces that from this January 29 until February 7, 2026, he will abstain from participating in any decision-making process he perceives as an institutional escalation with unpredictable consequences. A position he says he fully assumes, with serenity and respect for the responsibilities that have been his throughout this transitional mission. The correspondence was copied to the other members of the Transitional Presidential Council, including coordinator Laurent Saint-Cyr, as well as councilor-presidents Emmanuel Vertilaire, Régine Abraham, and Frinel Joseph. The editorial team